


When in Doubt, Add Glitter

by Cumberbatch Critter (ivelostmyspectacles)



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Caretaking, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Malec, Poor Alec has the flu, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-02
Updated: 2014-07-02
Packaged: 2018-02-07 03:21:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1883229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivelostmyspectacles/pseuds/Cumberbatch%20Critter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Magnus wanted to kill whoever had given Alec the flu, because he hated seeing his favourite Shadowhunter (and boyfriend) so miserable.</p><p>Sickfic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When in Doubt, Add Glitter

**Author's Note:**

> Can Shadowhunters get sick? I don't know. If it said, I missed it. They have _iratzes_ , but I'm not sure that would cover sickness. But whatever; that's what fanfiction is for.

Instead of using magic, Magnus leaned over and grabbed the bucket from the floor when Alec started to gag. In one fluid movement, he had the Shadowhunter sitting up and the bucket in his hands, not flinching as Alec threw up violently.

He hated whoever had given Alec the flu. He wanted to strangle the bastard for it, really. Unfortunately, half of New York seemed to have the flu right now and Alec had caught it, too. There was no way of tracing where it had come from. Alec had probably picked up it from someone putting their grubby fingers on a doorknob or a table. No matter how he had acquired it, he was having a time with it.

Magnus swept Alec's hair out of his face, keeping the sweaty strands pushed back away from his face. With his free hand, he rubbed circles onto his back. "Just get it all out. You'll feel better that way... There, are you finished?"

Alec groaned and nodded, squeezing his eyes closed.

Magnus removed the bucket and set it aside, clearing it out with a wave of his hand. He snapped his fingers and a glass of ginger ale appeared in his hand. "Drink," he said softly, raising the glass to Alec's lips.

Alec managed three swallows before turning away. It was better than nothing, Magnus thought, as he put the glass on the bedside table.

"Are you _sure_ you can't heal me...?" Alec rasped, peeling his eyes open to squint at him.

He looked horrible. That was partially the reason Magnus wanted to kill the person who had gotten Alec sick. He hated seeing him look so miserable and being unable to do anything about it. His blue eyes were watery and clouded with sickness, his hair slicked with the sweat that made his skin gleam. His Marks looked unnaturally darker against his skin. Magnus wanted to lean forward and kiss them, to kiss his lips and inject him with anything that would take away the pain, but he couldn't.

Magnus smiled weakly. "There's no cure for the common cold, Alec. Not even in runes or warlock magic."

Alec moaned and shivered, his body slumped sideways against Magnus's shoulder. "I'm so _cold_ ," he gasped, voice scratchy from the retching and vomiting and probable sore throat. "I can't do this anymore, Mags. Kill me."

Magnus raised his eyebrows, snaking his arms around him. Alec rarely called him Mags. He didn't care for pet names. Magnus loved them. "I can't kill you, Alec. I'd have no one to spend my life with, then."

Alec burrowed against Magnus's chest. His entire body was trembling. It was no wonder he was throwing up; he was shaking hard enough to unsettle Magnus's stomach. Alec sighed and it shook as he exhaled.

"Besides, who else do I have to test out my 'through sickness and in health' vow on, in case we decide to get married in the future?" Magnus said teasingly, running his fingers through Alec's sweaty hair.

Alec shoved his shoulder without raising his head. "Shut up..."

"You should lay back down, love," Magnus said, still gliding his fingers through Alec's locks. "Or let me get a cool cloth for you and maybe get a different shirt for you. You're soaked in sweat. Wouldn't a fresh shirt and crisp, clean sheets be more inviting?"

Alec mumbled something about his chest. Magnus didn't understand it because it was so muffled, but Alec pushed away - slowly - a moment later. His glassy eyes stared up at Magnus blearily. "... Help me?" His voice was ridiculously pathetic.

It made Magnus's heart ache. Did Alec think he _wouldn't_ help him?

"Uh huh. What do you want to do?"

"Up," Alec murmured, shifting away.

"Okay." Magnus released the Shadowhunter and stood up, peeling the blankets back. "Change of scenary or...?"

"Bathroom..."

"'kay." He helped Alec to his feet, not minding when he ended up taking most of his weight. "Do you need help?"

Alec shook his head weakly. "Can manage..."

"Alright. I'll have everything ready for your return from your venture into the bathroom, hun." He kissed his temple. "Be _careful_ ," he whispered, putting his hand in the small of Alec's back.

Alec's lips twisted towards a small smile. "Always am..."

Magnus rolled his eyes. "Uh huh. Your definition of 'careful' makes me worry. Go on." He patted his back, turning away as Alec stumbled into the bathroom.

In the meantime, he turned back to the bed. He waved his hand towards the rumpled blankets; the blankets flew up in the air and hung there limply. He snapped his fingers and the sheets changed. They went from hot pink to a deep, dark purple, fresh and clean and cool. He waved his hand again and the blankets settled down, straightening out and folding back neatly.

He trailed over to the dresser and pulled open Alec's drawer, pawing through some of Alec's most loved (and most ratty) shirts. "Oh, Alec." He sighed and closed the drawer, opening the bottom drawer. He pulled out a pale grey shirt, one that was floppy and worn and smelled of laundry detergent and sandalwood. It wasn't Alec's, but he had a feeling that he would like it.

"Mags?"

Magnus looked towards the bathroom. "Yeah?" He slung the shirt over his arm and peered into the bathroom.

Alec was leaning heavily against the counter, eyes closed. "... Dizzy," he whispered.

Magnus crossed the room. "Okay. Hang onto me." He offered his arm like he was courting a date, which Alec managed to glare at weakly before taking it. Magnus wrapped his arm around his shoulders. "One step at a time."

They got back to the bedroom without incident and Alec crawled onto the clean sheets with a quiet sigh. Magnus smiled softly but, before Alec could lay down, he hooked his fingers under the hem of his shirt and pulled it off with one, fluid movement.

"Magnus!" Alec protested weakly, shivering visibly.

Magnus smiled wider. "Clean shirt," he said, showing him the grey shirt. "Cool and comfortable."

"I'm a-already too cold," Alec muttered.

"You're actually too warm, but we'll save that argument for another day. Arms up."

"'m not a child," Alec muttered, although he obeyed the command.

Magnus expertly slipped the shirt onto Alec's frame, pleased when the stretched fabric settled around Alec's torso. "Good. It fits."

"Where'd you get it?" Alec murmured, shuffling down to the pillow and letting Magnus tuck the blankets around him. "It's so... comfy. And not y-you."

"Hey, my clothes are comfortable. Generally." Magnus rubbed a patch of goosebumps on Alec's collarbone absentmindedly. "But, anyway, it's the one piece of clothing that I have that I refuse to throw away even though it looks like a rag for cleaning." He pressed down with his thumb on the dip near the bone. "Besides, I couldn't imagine picking one of those shirts you have here for you to wear. They've got holes in them."

"So does this," Alec pointed out, curling up tightly.

"So it does," Magnus said idly, "but there's always the nice connotation that you are now wearing my clothes, no matter how ragged they may be."

Alec laughed weakly, which turned into a cough. His blue eyes sought Magnus's; they were miserable. "I feel horrible."

"I know, babe." He ran his thumb across his cheek. "It'll be out of your system soon. Just rest," he said soothingly, waving his free hand towards the bathroom. There was the squeak of the tap, the rushing of water for a moment, and then a dripping wet cloth drifted lazily into the room. Magnus plucked it from the air and pressed it against Alec's forehead. "Okay?"

Alec nodded slightly. He closed his eyes again. Magnus smiled and turned back for his seat next to the bed.

"Mags?"

Magnus looked back at Alec. "Yeah?"

"Should get in bed... it has to be late," Alec murmured.

"It's two in the afternoon, Alec."

Alec's eyes peeled open, confusion clouding them. "What...?"

Magnus pushed Alec's bangs out of his face. "Don't worry. You've been sleeping. Your sense of time perception is off."

"Oh..." Alec blinked his eyes closed, chasing away a disappointed look. "Yeah."

Magnus tilted his head slightly. "I can still get in bed, if you're amendable to the idea."

Alec nodded, the slight up-and-down motion of his head spreading his hair across the pillow. "Please."

Magnus smiled and clapped his hands together; the lights in the room flickered off. He crawled into bed next to Alec and let him snuggle into his warmth, keeping the compress against his forehead with a little help from magic.

"Do you really have your lights hooked up to a clapping thing?" Alec murmured against his chest.

Magnus chuckled. "No, I just thought it would add to the effect."

Alec seemed to sigh against his chest but didn't say anything else.

Later, when Alec had fallen asleep, Magnus would slip away from Alec's embrace and return to his vantage point sitting next to the bed. He'd lower the temperature in the room bit by bit and studiously lie to Alec that it _wasn't_ getting colder if he asked. He would make sure the compress stayed icy cold and that Alec had plenty of cold ginger ale to drink when he could.

For now, Magnus just idly massaged circles into Alec's trembling arm and hoped that the Shadowhunter didn't throw up on him. Because, through sickness and in health, Magnus wanted to be there. It might be unpleasant and messy and sometimes plain disgusting, but that was loving someone. He was going to love Alec for as long as he was allowed to, and then even after that.

This was just part of their life and, Alec being miserable notwithstanding, he wouldn't trade any of it for the world.

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own _Mortal Instruments_. It belongs to Cassie Clare.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
